Cloth-piling mechanism



Dec. 3, 1929. w TWADDLE 1,738,084

CLOTH PILiNG MECHANI SM Filed Feb. 21. 1928 3 $heets$heet 1 Fig.1.

lnvenTor. William FTwuddle b JM-WYM ATTys.

Dec. 3, 1929. w. F. TWADDLE 1,738,084

CLOTH FILING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 21, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 37 Fig.8.

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vvimqm FTwqdme b wwkw ATTys.

Dec 3', 1929.

Filed Feb. 21 1.928

w. F..-TWADDLE CLOTH FILING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inv enTor.

William FTwuddle b ima MIN Anys.

Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM F. TWADDLE, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPEHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO AMOSKEAG MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MANCHESTER, NE HAMPSHIRE, A VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE CLOTH-FILING MECHANISM Application filed February 21, 1928.

This invention relates to a cloth piling mechanism for laying or piling a long strand or rope of cloth or similar material and is particularly designed for use in connection with a cloth piling machine. Cloth piling machines are employed in handling large quantities of cloth after it has been through a dyeing, bleaching or similar process and when it is desired that the cloth be kept or stored for some definite, predetermined time, for example, the time required in order to allow the liquids with which it is impregnated to act or an ageing process to be carried on. Cloth piling machines are of various types and the mechanism of this invention may be employed with a wide variety of types of such machines, but it is more particularly designed for use in connection with a cloth piling machine of the type disclosed in my application, Serial No. 235,570, filed November 25, 1927.

The object of the invention is to provide a cloth piling mechanism which will lay the strand of cloth regularly and evenly throughout the entire, preferably substantially rectangular, area of the receptacle of the machine.

The object of the invention is further to provide a cloth piling mechanism which shall pile the cloth in somewhat wedge-shaped layers or layers which are thicker at one edge than the other, so that the pile will fit in and fill a receptacle of annular form such as disclosed in the aforesaid application or of a segmental or curved form such as heretofore employed in cloth piling machines.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a construction embodying a preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, chiefly diagrammatic, illustrating an annular type of container or receptacle with the strand g'iiiding and 1c ying elements of the cloth piling mechanism related thereto.

F ig. 3 is a rear end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Serial No. 255,921.

Fig. 4: is a view in horizontal section showing the construction of the feed rolls.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in transverse section of a portion of one of the rolls shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation ofa portion of the mechanism arranged for piling a vertical pile.

A cloth piling mechanism embodying the broad features of this invention may be employed for piling or laying the strand in containers or receptacles of different form, but in its preferred form it contains certain features which adapt it particularly for laying or piling the strand in the annular form of container, previously referred to, and shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2. Such an annular container is assumed to rotate about a horizontal axis 1 and to have an exterior peripheral wall 2 and side walls 3, but to be open at its interior periphery. The strand o'f cloth is progressively fed through the interior periphery ofthe container at one side, as at the right, of the horizontal axis 1 and is progressively Withdrawn from the cont-ainer through the interior periphery at the opposite side. When the operation is under Way, it will be seen that the lower segment, or practically the lower half, of the container is piled full of the cloth and that each portion of the cloth remains in the container for that period of time required by the container to make substantially a half rotation. It will. also be seen that the rotation of the container is caused by the weight of the cloth itself piled therein, the gradual addition of the cloth at the feeding side and the gradual removal at the'opposite side causing the feed ing side to be slightly heavier and thus offooting the rotation of the container.

In this type of annular or segmental con tainer it will be observed that the pile of cloth will be much deeper or longer at that edge adjacent the outer periphery than at the edge adjacent the inner periphery. Hence if the container is to be kept full of the cloth and the cloth is to be piledevenly therein, it is necessary that more cloth shall be piled at the outer edge than at the inner edge. In other words, the cloth should be laid in more or less wedge-shaped layers.

In the preferred form of the present inven tion, the strand of cloth as it is fed into the receptacle or container is given two reciprocatory movements in directions normal to each other so that the cloth is laid throughout a substantially rectangular area. This is preferably effected by two main elements, namely, a pair of feed rolls between which the strand passes and which are bodily reciprocated laterally and a strand guiding eye moving parallel with the bite of the rolls and having a reciprocatory movement in a direction normal to the bodily reciprocatory movement of the feed rolls. The reciprocatory movement of the strand guiding eye is also preferably slow, as compared to the bodily reciprocatory movement of the feed rolls, so as to prevent undue dragging of the strand endwise of the rolls.. Consequently the strand is preferably .laid in runs in the direction of the bodily reciprocatory movement of the feed rolls and the closeness with which these runs are laid depends upon the rate of reciprocation of the strand guiding eye. When it is desired that the clothshall be piled in somewhat wedgeshaped layers, this result is preferably secured by giving a variable reciprocatory movement to the strand guiding eye, causing it to move more slowly at the outer periphery of the container than atthe inner periphery. As a result, the runs of the strand are bunched or laid more closely together at the outer than at the inner periphery and thusone edge of the pile is thicker than the other.

In the construction illustrated, the mechanism is mounted on a suitable framework comprising a base 4, vertical standards 5, top girders 6 and the necessary cross beams and struts. This framework,.when employed in connection with the annular type-of container, may conveniently be mounted directly upon the platform or floor 7, although it is obvious that the frame work maybe modified as de-' sired and need not be supported from beneath but may be supported in any way according to the conditions prevailing. The strand of cloth indicated by the dotted line 8 passes downwardly through a suitable horizontal porcelain strand-guiding eye 9 vmounted on the framework, thence through a second similarlvertical eye 10, also mounted on the framework and thence over a guiding and transmitting roll 11 shown'as journalled in standards 12 mounted on the framework. The roll llis preferably of skeleton form having the spider heads 13 mounted on the shaftll and the spaced wooden bars 15 extending transversely between the spider heads. The ends of the shaft 14 are journalled in bearing blocks 16 of arguta wood or oil-impregnated wood, thus requiring no further lubrication, and these blocks are slid vertically into vertical ways or openings in the standards 12. Thus the roll 11 may readily be removed and replaced. The roll 11 is driven by a belt 17 running over a pulley 18 fast on the shaft 1%.

In order that the strand of cloth may not wear a groove in the bars 15 of the transmitting roll 11, the strand-guiding eye 10 is mounted in a base 19 which is transversely adjustable on the standards 12 by means of the bolts 20 passing through the slots 21 in the base. Thus the strand-guiding eye 10 may be shifted from time to time to caus the strand of cloth to run over different positionson the roll 11.

As the cloth when it passes 0v 1' the roll 11 is usually loaded with liquid, the roll ll is made of wood and so will not injure or mark the cloth, as might be the case with metal. Furthermore, in order to prevent liquid expressed from the cloth as it passes over the roll from dripping on the mechanism beneath orupon the operatives, a drip pan 22 is shown mounted on the framework beneath the roll.

A main shaft 28 is journalled in the framework and driven from any suitable source of power such as the bolt 24- runnin over the pulley 25 on th shaft. The belt 17 which drives the transmitting roll. 11 extends over a pulley 26 on this main shaft 28 and is driven thereby.

The main elements of the piling mechanism are, in the preferred form of the invention, carried by a laterally swinging or reciprocating frame. This frame comprises the hangers 27 fast at their upper ends to the shaft 28 which is journallcd in the main framework and ext-ends longitudinally and medially thereof. The lower ends of the hangers 27 are secured together by the tie rod 75. The swinging or oscillating movement of this frame is conveniently secured by the mechanism illustrated. A pulley 3.9 on the main shaft 2?) drives a belt 30 and in turn a. pulley 31 mounted on a shaft 32 journalled in the main framework. This sha f t 32 carries a crank disk 23 from which a connecting rod 34: extends to an arm 35 secured to and projecting laterally from the shaft 28. Thus as the main shaft is rotated, the sha t 28 with the hangers 27 will be rnvung or oscillated laterally. The weight of the swinging frame and the parts carried llltl' F by is counterbalanced by an arm 36 cxtcndcd from the shaft 28 and carrying a weight 3'? adjustable longitudinally thereon.

. The lower ends of the hangers 27 of the swinging frame have journallcd therein a. pair of corrugated, positively driven, horizontally disposed feed rolls 38 and 30. 'lhos-e feed rolls are shown as carried by shafts 40 and ll, respectively, mounted in the frame so that the entire bodies of the feed rolls project outwardly from the frame leaving the rolls unsupported at their free cm spaced undercut grooves, as shown in Fi These feed rolls are permitted to separate slightly to allow any unevennesses in the cloth strand to pass and are held yieldingly together. For that purpose one of the shafts, ll, mounted in a bearing box 42 sliding transversely in the forward end of the swinging frame and this b X is pressed yieldingly by a spring as toward the other roll. The rear bearing box; for the corresponding shaft ll is fitted sufficiently loosely to permit the required. slight inoven'ient at the forward end of the shaft. The feed rolls at their outer enc s are preferably hollowed out at it so as to reduce the weight thereof. The feed rolls being unsupported at their free ends extend close up to the outer periphery 2 of the container, thus enabling; the cloth to be piled close to this periphery. As the feed rolls 38 and 89 have to pull the cloth and feed it positively to the container, they must have a firm grip upon the cloth and yet must be of a character not to injure or dantiage the cloth. A suitable surface for this purpose secured by providing the rolls longitudinally with and inserting in these grooves ribs l5 of rubber, trapezoidal in cross section thus to fit and be retained in the grooves, Further to insure the positioning of the ribs 45 in the grooves, small tacks or brads 46 are employed. at the outer ends and an encircling band 4:7 at the inner ends of the rolls. These ribs 45 projecting well from the body of the rolls, which are preferably of wood, are found to give the desired surface and also to withstand the wear. These feed rolls are shown as driven, positively to feed the cloth downwardly between them, by a sprocket chain 48 extending over a sprocket wheel ll) journalled on the shaft 28 around a sprocket wheel 50 on the shaft 40 and over a tensioning idler 51 on the frame 27. The shafts 4,0 and ll are geared together at their rear ends by the intermeshing gears 52 mounted on the shaft 410 and 53 mounted on the shaft 4-1 so that as the sprocket wheel as is rotated, the two feed rolls 38 and 39 are positively driven at the same speed. The sprocket wheel as is driven by a bevel. gear 5% integral therewith and meshing with a bevel gear 55 on the main shaft 23. Thus it will be seen that the feed rolls 38 and 39 are both positively rotated to feed the strand of cloth and also reciprocated bodily laterally of the container or receptaele to lay the strand of cloth back and forth between the side walls of the container.

i'i strand guiding eye 56 is mounted for recil'irocatory movement in the swinging frame parallel With and preferably above the bite of the feed rolls and For this purpose this aaide eye 56 is shown as mounted on the end of a tlat bar 57 mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in the frame hangers 27. The recipr catory movement of this bar and consequently of the guide eye is conveniently secured by a sprocket chain 58 running over sprocket wheels journalled on the swinging frame and mounted parallel with the fiat side of the bar 57. A pin 59 projects later y from the sprocket chain 58 and rides in a vertically slotted guide 60 on the bar 5?. It will thus be seen that with the chain ruunin constantly in one direction, the pin 59 will effect the reciprocator movement of the bar 57. The sprocket chain is shown as driven by a worm Wheel 61 fast with one of the sprocket wheels, as 62, over which. the chain runs. Th worm wheel is driven by a worm 63 conveniently mounted on and driven by the shaft l1.

The strand of cloth 8 delivered from the transmitting roll passes down through the guide eye 56 into the bite of the feed rolls 38 and 89. As it is undesirable that the strand shall be dragged rapidly back and forth in the bite of the feed rolls, the reciprocatory n'ioveinent of the guide eye 56 is preferably at a very much slower rate than that of the bodily reciprocatory movement of the feed rolls, so that the strand of cloth is reciprocated comparatively slowly by the bar 57 lVith this arrangen'ient the strand is piled in runs laid transversely between the side walls of the container and the closeness with which these runs are laid is governed by the movement of the guide eye 56.

When the cloth is to be piled in a curved pile, such takes place in an annular container or a curved or segmental container, then it is desirable that the pile shall be thicker at one edge than at the other. This result is secured by *arying the reciprocatory movement of the guide eye. .Vith the annular type of container shown in Fig. 2, the movement of the guide eye must be slower at the outer periphery than at the inner periphery so as to make the pile thicker at the outer periphery and thus pile the cloth in layers of somewhat wedge shape. In the construction illustrated, this result is secured by the size and arrz ngenieut of the sprocket wheels over which the sprock t chain 58 runs. At the outer end of the swinging frame a longitudinally slotted bracket (if h: adjustably bolted thereto at ($5 a vertical saind- 115 ard 66. This standard has journallod in its lower end a small sprocket wheel 6'? and is vertically slotted at its upper end and in this vertical slot is adjustably mounted a s' sprocket wheel 68. The arrangement i that the runs of the sprocket chain 52:; dive from the sprocket wheel (32 and the spree chain has an extended vertical path bet '2' the sprocket wheels 6? and 68. lhus th i 59 travels horizontally a relatively hor' tance between the top of the sproc tot whoa ($8 and the bottom of the sprocket wheel ('37, although. the vertical travel of the chaii considerable. Thus by properly proportioning the relative sizes of the sprocketwheels 62, 67 and 68 and by adjusting the distance between the sprocket wheels 67 and 68 the pile may be laid'relatively thicker at the outer edge than at the other and, as the pile settles, the cloth will naturally distribuate itself so as to give the desired result.

When the cloth is to be piled in a vertical,

' non-curved pile, then an arrangement such as illustrated in Fig. 7 is desirable. Here the sprocket wheels 69 and around which the chain 58 passes are of the same size. The sprocket wheel 7 O is mounted directly in the bracket 64. Thus the horizontal travel of the chain at both ends is the same. Any desired form of pile is readily secured by utilizing the proper size and arrangement of sprocket wheels, and by shortening or lengthening the chain as required. The sprocket wheel 62 in Fig. 1, or 69 in 7, is readily removable and forthat purpose the stud 71, on which the worm wheel 61 and this sprocket wheel are mounted, is adjust-ably mounted in a longitudinally slotted bracket '72 secured to one of the hangers 27 of the swinging frame.

It will be seen that. there is thus provided a guiding means for the strand wh ch reciprocates in two directions substantially nor mal to each other and ma ierally horizontal path and that preferaoly the rate of one of these reciprocatory movements is slower at one end than at the other for the purpose set forth. The strand guiding eye in the specific construction illustrated, since it moves laterally bodily with the feed rolls, partakes of both of these reciprocatory movements. The feed rolls secure the proper,

even and steady downward movement of the strand through this guide eye into the con tainer.

But in whatever specific form the invention may be embodied, it will be seen that the strand of cloth is laid throughout the entire horizontal area of the container and piled in an even and regular manner and that, when the container is of the curved or annularshape, it is piled thicker at the longer I periphery than at the shorter.

It will be understood that the term cloth is used l'ierein as illustrative merely and that it is-to be construed as including any kind of material which maybe placed in rope or strand form and handled by the piling mechanism. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. A cloth piling mechanism comprising a pair of feed rolls, a guide eye for the cloth strand, means for reciprocating the guide eye and the feed rolls bodilylaterally in unison, and means for reciprocating the guide eye adjacent and longitudinally of the bite of the rolls to cause the strand passing through the guideeye and the bite of the rolls to'be piled throughout an extended rectangular area.

2. A cloth piling mechanism comprising a pair of feed rolls, a guide eye for the cloth strand, means for reciprocating the guide eye and the feed rolls bodily laterally in unison, and means for reciprocating the guide eye adjacent and longitudinally of the bite of the rolls at a ate slower than the rule of reciprocation laterally of the feed rolls and guide eye to cause the strand to be piled in laterally extending runs throughout an extended rectangular area.

3. A cloth piling mechanism compris'" 5 a pair of feed rolls, means for reciprocating the feed rolls bodily laterally, a guide eye for the cloth strand mounted to reciprocate adjacent and longitudinally of the bite of the rolls and means for giving a variable reciprocation faster at one end than the otaer to the guide eye and at a rate much slower than the rate of reciprocation laterally of the feed rolls, whereby the strand is piled in laterally extending runs bunched together more closely at one edge than the other.

i. A clothing piling mechanism comprising guiding means for the cloth strand, means for reciprocating said guiding means both laterally and endwise, and means for varying the endwiso reciprocatory movement to offer a slower movement at one end than at the other w iereby the pile is formed thicker at one edge than at the other.

5. A cloth piling mechanism comprising guiding means for a cloth strand and means for reciprocating said gui ing means in a generally horizontal path and in two directions substantially normal to each other, the rate of one of said reoiprocatory movements increasing from one end to the other and decreasing in the reverse direction, whereby the strand is piled in somewhat wedge-shaped layers.

6. A cloth piling mechanism comprising guiding means for a cloth strand and means for reciprocating said guiding means in a generally horizontal path and in two directions substantially normal to each other, the rate of one of said reciprocatory movements increasing from one end to the other and decreasing in the reverse direction and in which the number of said reciprocatory movements is much less in a given time than the number of rcciprocatory n'iovements in the direction normal thereto, whereby the strand is piled in runs bunched together more closely at one edge of the pile than the other.

7. A cloth piling mechanism comprising a frame mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis, a pair of feed rolls journalled in the frame parallel with said axis, a guide eye mounted on the frame to oscillate therewith and for reciprocatory movement with respect thereto parallel with said axis, and means for oscillating the frame, for driving the feed rolls, and for reciprocating the guide eye,

to pile the cloth strand passing through the eye and between the feed rolls throughout a substantially rectangular area.

8. A cloth piling mechanism comprising the construction defined in claim 7, in which the feed rolls project outwardly from the frame and are unsupported at their outer ends to pern'iit the outer ends of the rolls to come close to the wall of the receptacle in which the strand is piled and permit the outer edge of the pile to be laid close to said wall.

9. A cloth piling mechanism comprising a frame mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis, a bar mounted on the frame to oscillate therewith and for endwise reciprocatory movement wit-l'i respect thereto parallel with said axis, a strand guide eye on said bar, means for oscillating the frame and means for reciprocating the guide eye bar.

10. A cloth piling mechanism comprising a frame mounted to oscillate on a horizontal axis, a bar mounted on the frame for reciprocatory movement parallel with said axis, a strand guide eye on said bar, means for os cillating the frame, a sprocket chain mounted on the frame parallel with the bar, the said bar having a vertical guide slot and the said chain having a pin engaging the slot, and means for driving the sprocket chain to effect the reciprocation of the guide eye bar.

11. A cloth piling mechanism comprising the construction defined in claim 10, in which the said sprocket chain runs over sprocket wheels mounted on the frame arr: ed as to produce a greater vertical travel of the chain at one end of the frame than at the other end thus to vary the reciprocatory movement of the guide eye.

12 A cloth piling mechanism comprising a frame, a pair of feed rolls journalled in the frame and projecting outwardly there from with their outer ends unsupported to permit the said outer ends to come close to the wall of the receptacle in which the strand is piled and permit the outer edge of the pile to be laid close to said wall a guide eye for the cloth strand, means for reciprocating the feed rolls bodily laterally and means for reciprocating the guide eye longitudinally parallel with the rolls to cause the strand passing through the guide eye and the bite of the rolls to be piled throughout an extended rectangular area.

13. A cloth piling mechanism having the construction defined in claim 12, in which the longitudinal reciprocation of the guide eye takes place at a rate slower than the rate of the lateral reciprocation of the feed rolls to cause the strand to he piled in laterally extending runs throughout an extended rectangular area.

14:. A cloth piling mechanism comprising a pair of feed rolls, a guide eye for the cloth strand, means for reciprocating the feed rolls bodily laterally and means for reciprocating the guide eye longitudinally parallel with the rolls with the said longitudinal reciprocation faster at one end than the other and with the rate of said reciprocation slower than the rate of lateral. reciprocation of the feed rolls to cause the strand passing through the guide eye and the bite of the rolls to he piled throughout an extended rectangular area in laterally extending runs bunched together more closely at one edge than the other.

15. A. cloth piling mechanism comprising a frame, reciprocatory stranchguiding means, a transmitting roll mounted above said strand-guiding means, means for rotating said transmitting roll, a normally fixed strand guiding eye mounted onthc frame for directing the strand to the transmitting roll and means for adjusting the strand guiding eye on the frame parallel with the axis of the transmitting roll to permit the path of the strand over the transmitting roll to be shifted as desired.

lo. A cloth piling mechanism comprising a pair of positively driven cooperating feed rolls in which the surface of each feed roll presents parallel spaced rubber ribs extending longitudinally of the rolls.

17. In a cloth piling mechanism a feed roll provided with spaced grooves extending longitudinally of its surface parallel with its axis and having undercut side walls and a rubber rib of trapezoidal cross section inserted in and projecting radially from each groove.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM F. TW ADDLE. 

